Adjuvants are substances which are administered as a mixture with an antigen to a living body to enhance immune responses against the antigen. Adjuvants are classified into ones that induce Th1-type response, ones that induce Th2-type response and ones that induce both Th1-type response and Th2-type response. Generally, vaccine therapy involves the use of adjuvants, and such adjuvants must be capable of facilitating the recognition of antigens in hosts and the local retention thereof for a prolonged time. However, since adjuvants have the potential to trigger inflammation, they can cause pain, swelling and other side reactions at the site of administration, which are often problematic. Such side reactions at the site of administration have often been pointed to as problems in some of the vaccines clinically applied so far. Alum (aluminum hydroxide) has been long used as an adjuvant and is relatively highly safe. However, more effective adjuvants are desired for the improvement of vaccine efficacy.
There are many people who are concerned about alopecia caused by aging, genetic predisposition, social stress or other reasons. Under such a circumstance, various products, such as hair growers for promotion of hair regrowth and anti-alopecia agents for prevention of hair loss, have been developed.
A known example is an anti-alopecia agent in which a soybean protein-derived peptide having a specific sequence is contained as an active ingredient (Patent Literature 1).
The present inventors previously discovered a 30-amino-acid peptide having angiogenic and antimicrobial activities, which peptide was designated as AG30 (Non Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2). Subsequently, the present inventors have modified this peptide for the improvement of its angiogenic and antimicrobial activities (Non Patent Literature 2, Patent Literature 3, Patent Literature 4, Patent Literature 5 and Patent Literature 6).